The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-02-26
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
Washington's Birthday-The President
and the New Pension Bill-Banquet
to Comptroller Turner-A Change
inInauguration Day-Towson-
towns Water Supply, &c.
BALTIMORE. February 22d. 1887.

BALTIMORE, February 22d, 1887.
Messrs. Editors We have again come round
once more to the birthday of the Father of our
Country. He is so called because he was COM
mander of the armies that made us free and gained
our liberty, hence, in national sense we call him
Gather" The day, therefore, will thus be OBJ
served and celebrated 80 long as we live, growing
brighter and more beautiful as time advances and
the fair Goddess of Liberty watches over us. 1t
is legal holiday and all public business was sus-
pended. Places of amusement were mostly open,
presenting plays suitable to the occasion and fully
attended. goodly number of citizens visited
Mount Vernon, where the patriot sleeps in death.
The day was particularly free from intoxication.
The temperance people made good use of it in
making speeches, holding meetings and doing all
they could in the cause. 1t was appropriate
occasion for such a cause. I have no doubt they
did their share of good. No one, therefore, can
find fault with them. There is said to be time
for all things, but must confess very badly used
when devoted to getting drunk. Let all people
do right and they will not give up to intoxication.
am sorry to see that Congress had not time to
give day to the Father of his Country. Their
time however, is growing short and there is yet
a good deal to do they may therefore be excused.
1t is the "short session" and as usual many things
put off to the last 1 hope the President will be
sustained in his veto of the pension bill, which
would saddle upon the nation an enormous debt
not called for as necessary at this time. There is
too much politics in it for either party, and the
people, as such-nine out of ten-are opposed to
it. To add SIC, 200, 900 more of debt to our pen
sions, already heavy, would be more than comfort
able, no matter how patriotic man might feel.
It required more independence for the President
in political sense-to withhold than to approve
it. Time will prove or demonstrate this. 1t
seems to me in his public acts thus far that he is
not looking to the next candidacy for President,
but doing what he thinks is right and will best
suit the whole people; that he feels and knows he
is their ruler and chief magistrate of the nation
and sworn to do his duty. So long as he does
this he will have friends in all parties and strong
ones The masses of the people like independence.
The banquet given to Hon. J. Frank Turner by
the Merchants Club last night, was very hand
some affair and in every respect complimentary.
Mr.. Enoch Pratt presided. The most influential
citizens were present. The speeches were all in
teresting and to the point. Mayor Hodges's re-
marks were read to the assemblage-he not being
able to be present-and were well received. SO
were all the other speeches made at the collation.
Mr. James Sullivan, who resided on Fells Point
and one of our best known and most aged ship
builders, died in his SD year yesterday. He was
respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He
was crowned with honorable years.
Our City Council met yesterday and adjourned
over till Thursday, confirming sixty of the Mayors
appointments. 1t is thought but few of those left
will be rejected. They generally good names.
/ see that Congress talks Of changing the in.
auguration day-4th of March-to some other
period This is sensible proposition. Let them
not give the matter up until it is passed. 1t IS
generally an undesirable time. April or May
would be better-the latter particularly. Ii re-
member rightly the day on which Gen. Grant was
first inarfgurated the coolest ever experienced
in this latitude. Some people were almost frozen
and unable to stand the exposure to the weather.
1t looks now as if West Virginia would open the
"dead lock" and give the country U. S. Senator
before many days. 1t is full time that something
was DONE These dead locks among politicians
should not be tolerated beyond a proper time, If
at ALL Let us hope the Senator may prove good
one for all parties and the people generally.
I regret very much to learn of suspension of
work at Lake Clifton, part of the water works,
in consequence of an injunction issued against
certain tools and property belonging to contrac-
tor the works, owing to his getting in debt be-
not be long suspended The contract involves
about 900 worth of work.
Our merchants and others are heartily sick of
paying debts and expenses of the Orioe ceebra-
lions which we had here several years ago. They
left us behind several thousands of dollars which
the city had to "foot up" waiting for their pay.
A good deal of the debt is yet standing. The
thing amounted really to show more than any
thing else and the people got sick of it. 1t did
very little good to business generally. There is
some talk again of our merchants going into
somewhat similar display this spring, but I fear
they will think too seriously and practically of the
old Orioe Indebtedness to enter into it very lavish
Iy. However, whatever will do business good is
money we'll spent. We cannot afford to lie still.
1 see by looking over your advertising columns
that business in the county is beginning to brisk
up encouragngly and you are having full share
of that patronage. People are seeing and know
ing the adv antage of advertising, and your sub
scribers take advantage of it in the home papers.
Persons read every line in their county newspa-
pers. For this reason, too, your subscription list
must regularly increase.
1 notice that your people are taking active steps
towards having full supply of water in Towson-
town, taking the place of that you have been
drinking and relying upon, which is mostly gotten
from wells which has been pronounced bad and
unhealthy by competent judges. I, myself, can
not speak favorably of your water and the sooner
you can get new and healthful supply the better.
The fact of its existence will largely add to the
value of your property in every way, besides
making better condition Of health and Towson-
town a place of great resort. Lose no time in
getting the supply. NEsToR.